Cheshire Police tackle car insurance dodgers

Uninsured drivers are set to be targeted this week by Cheshire Police as part of a nationwide operation in partnership with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB).

Operation Drive Insured will be running throughout the week, 12 to 18 November, with the aim of warning motorists about the consequences of driving without insurance.

Sergeant Andy Jones said: “Unfortunately there are a small number of people who believe that it is acceptable to drive without car insurance, and the purpose of this operation is to warn them that is not the case. Driving without car insurance is a serious offence which can result in disqualification from driving, a minimum of six penalty points on your licence and a fine of up to £5,000.

“If you are caught driving without insurance you will also face the prospect of having your vehicle seized at the roadside. We want to send out a clear message to everyone that driving without insurance is not acceptable. We have access to a variety of tools which allow us to instantly check whether or not a vehicle is insured, such as ANPR cameras and insurance databases, and any motorists who fail to adhere to the law will be punished.”

As part of the operation officers will be performing stop checks, carrying out targeted patrols and seizing vehicles they find to not be insured.

The operation comes off the back of figures released by the MIB which show that uninsured drivers are more dangerous than insured drivers and cause a high number of accidents.

In 2017 the MIB received 11,000 claims from victims of uninsured drivers, with hundreds of people having suffered catastrophic, life changing injuries.

Sergeant Andy Jones added: “We know that uninsured drivers are more likely to commit other offences and many of the vehicles they drive are not roadworthy, meaning that they pose a real danger to other road users. By removing uninsured vehicles from our streets we will make our roads safer. Any vehicles that we seize will be taken to a secure compound and the owners will not be able to collect their vehicle until they can prove that it is taxed, insured and has a valid MOT.

“I urge anyone who suspects that somebody they know is driving without insurance to contact Cheshire Police on 101 so that we can work together to make our roads safer. Alternatively information can be reported anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”